CVB plans Carlsbad tourism conference
By Kurt Burkhart, Executive Director, Carlsbad Convention & Visitors Bureau
Travel had peaked in the Northern Mariana Islands as the onset of the 1997 Asian financial crisis swept across the Far East following the devaluation of the Thai Bhat. For years leading up to July 1997, Saipan and its sister islands of Tinian and Rota, together with Guam, had enjoyed a steady diet of both FIT and group travel from Japan. As conditions worsened, the call went out from all quarters, including the Commonwealth Legislature, to convene a tourism summit and find ways to stop the financial hemorrhaging brought on by currency issues that adversely impacted the number one economic driver in the islands – tourism.
As the governor's special assistant for tourism and trade, where I served in a policy advisory role that dealt with the macros of tourism and international trade, I remember how odd it felt responding in a very reactive mode, wondering why the industry hadn't come together in preceding "good years" to address some of these same critical issues. The summit was followed by hearings before the legislature and, at the end of the day, nothing emerged in the way of an immediate solution to avoid the inevitable, a downturn that would near the depths of an economic depression.
My advice to the hospitality industry in 1997 was simple and to the point. Make investments now in your properties and continue marketing to an audience that has already shown "buyer loyalty." One can only imagine how crazy it might have seemed when occupancy, once in the high 90s, was slashed to way below 50 percent and this guy was talking about making investments to enhance both the value and experience of visitors.
As it happened, very few hotels and resorts heeded this advice and, when better times returned, these once fabulously pristine vacation getaways were tarnished by age, wear and unexcited visitors. Fast-forward to the present day and you'll find that Japan Airlines, the once dominant carrier, has announced plans to discontinue service to Saipan effective October 2005. Why? Because of the very reasons that I enunciated at that tourism summit in 1997, businesses got both sloppy and lazy. And the government has estimated the withdrawal of Japan Airlines will cost the Commonwealth government some $230 million in lost revenue.
Two months ago, Patrick Fearn, Chairman of the Carlsbad Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors, and I attended the annual SMG Lake Tahoe Tourism Conference. It was great seeing how one of America's premier vacation destinations tackled issues and challenges germane to travel and tourism. There was a strong showing from the hospitality and visitors services industry who were there to share insights about the local marketplace, mull through a SWOT analysis of Tahoe and hear leaders of their industry, including Carolyn Beteta, executive director for the California Travel and Tourism Commission. It was a day filled with tremendous synergy. By the conclusion of the 2005 conference, industry colleagues were charged up and ready to battle for Tahoe's share of the marketplace. Unlike what I had experienced eight years earlier, this conference addressed "dark cloud" issues and exciting opportunities. I was impressed by both the sponsorships and top caliber expert opinion that helped to make the Tahoe conference a stand out, and I've attended many over the years.
Our intention was to walk away with a lot of ideas from Tahoe's experience, and we did just that!
With the very real possibility that a Tourism Business Improvement District will come to fruition in Carlsbad, we returned home believing there exists a very real need to craft a similar tourism conference right here in our own community. We need to talk about those things that are near and dear to our industry, identify what works, change the things that don't and move forward as a united front. The Carlsbad CVB believes that by convening the "First Annual Carlsbad Tourism Conference" during National Tourism Week 2006, this event would dovetail quite nicely with a number of other exciting events the bureau has already planned for next year.
Let's talk about sustainable tourism and product development, regional transportation, marketing opportunities and so on. This "reality check" is something that might have saved the Northern Mariana Islands hundreds of millions of dollars in tourism-generated revenues. Tahoe addressed the good, the bad and the ugly, all in one fell swoop. Kudos to our friends on the lake!
Mark your calendar, May 18, 2006. We'll be calling on you to participate.
By Kurt Burkhart, Executive Director, Carlsbad Convention & Visitors Bureau
Travel had peaked in the Northern Mariana Islands as the onset of the 1997 Asian financial crisis swept across the Far East following the devaluation of the Thai Bhat. For years leading up to July 1997, Saipan and its sister islands of Tinian and Rota, together with Guam, had enjoyed a steady diet of both FIT and group travel from Japan. As conditions worsened, the call went out from all quarters, including the Commonwealth Legislature, to convene a tourism summit and find ways to stop the financial hemorrhaging brought on by currency issues that adversely impacted the number one economic driver in the islands – tourism.
As the governor's special assistant for tourism and trade, where I served in a policy advisory role that dealt with the macros of tourism and international trade, I remember how odd it felt responding in a very reactive mode, wondering why the industry hadn't come together in preceding "good years" to address some of these same critical issues. The summit was followed by hearings before the legislature and, at the end of the day, nothing emerged in the way of an immediate solution to avoid the inevitable, a downturn that would near the depths of an economic depression.
My advice to the hospitality industry in 1997 was simple and to the point. Make investments now in your properties and continue marketing to an audience that has already shown "buyer loyalty." One can only imagine how crazy it might have seemed when occupancy, once in the high 90s, was slashed to way below 50 percent and this guy was talking about making investments to enhance both the value and experience of visitors.
As it happened, very few hotels and resorts heeded this advice and, when better times returned, these once fabulously pristine vacation getaways were tarnished by age, wear and unexcited visitors. Fast-forward to the present day and you'll find that Japan Airlines, the once dominant carrier, has announced plans to discontinue service to Saipan effective October 2005. Why? Because of the very reasons that I enunciated at that tourism summit in 1997, businesses got both sloppy and lazy. And the government has estimated the withdrawal of Japan Airlines will cost the Commonwealth government some $230 million in lost revenue.
Two months ago, Patrick Fearn, Chairman of the Carlsbad Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors, and I attended the annual SMG Lake Tahoe Tourism Conference. It was great seeing how one of America's premier vacation destinations tackled issues and challenges germane to travel and tourism. There was a strong showing from the hospitality and visitors services industry who were there to share insights about the local marketplace, mull through a SWOT analysis of Tahoe and hear leaders of their industry, including Carolyn Beteta, executive director for the California Travel and Tourism Commission. It was a day filled with tremendous synergy. By the conclusion of the 2005 conference, industry colleagues were charged up and ready to battle for Tahoe's share of the marketplace. Unlike what I had experienced eight years earlier, this conference addressed "dark cloud" issues and exciting opportunities. I was impressed by both the sponsorships and top caliber expert opinion that helped to make the Tahoe conference a stand out, and I've attended many over the years.
Our intention was to walk away with a lot of ideas from Tahoe's experience, and we did just that!
With the very real possibility that a Tourism Business Improvement District will come to fruition in Carlsbad, we returned home believing there exists a very real need to craft a similar tourism conference right here in our own community. We need to talk about those things that are near and dear to our industry, identify what works, change the things that don't and move forward as a united front. The Carlsbad CVB believes that by convening the "First Annual Carlsbad Tourism Conference" during National Tourism Week 2006, this event would dovetail quite nicely with a number of other exciting events the bureau has already planned for next year.
Let's talk about sustainable tourism and product development, regional transportation, marketing opportunities and so on. This "reality check" is something that might have saved the Northern Mariana Islands hundreds of millions of dollars in tourism-generated revenues. Tahoe addressed the good, the bad and the ugly, all in one fell swoop. Kudos to our friends on the lake!
Mark your calendar, May 18, 2006. We'll be calling on you to participate.